We have entered a new era of high technology. More and more advanced electronic products (e.g., personal computers or servers such as blade servers) are being widely used in our daily life. A number of data storage devices (e.g., CD-ROMs, floppy disk drives, etc.) and electronic components (e.g., CPU (central processing unit), image processing chips, etc.) are installed in a computer or server. It is understood that heat will be generated by parts (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors, semiconductor chips, etc.) of the electronic components and the data storage devices due to current flow when they are operating. However, the computer or the server including its data storage devices and electronic components may not operate normally if its internal temperature is higher than the operating temperature due to poor ventilation. Thus, it is important to maintain temperature of the data storage devices and the electronic components below the operating temperature so as to ensure a normal operation of the computer or the server. In view of the above, it is critical to sufficiently dissipate heat when an electronic device is operating. Otherwise, both stability and durability of the device may be deteriorated. Accordingly, many companies and institutions have developed a variety of devices for solving the serious problem of heat accumulation in an operating computer or server.
Conventionally, a fan is installed in a computer or server for dissipating heat when it is operating. In brief, the fan is adapted to set up a current of air for either drawing fresh air into the computer or the server or driving out hot air caused by the operating electronic components. As an end, the computer or the server may operate normally due to decreased internal temperature.
Frame 10 of a receiving slot in a conventional computer or server is shown in FIG. 1. Within the parallelepiped frame 10 there are provided a space 11 for installing at least one of data storage devices (e.g., hard disk drive) 101, at least one of electrical components (e.g., transformer) 102, and a printed circuit board (e.g., motherboard) 103. The frame 10 is adapted to absorb electromagnetic noise generated by the operating data storage devices 101 and electrical components 102. Otherwise, electromagnetic noise may transmit beyond the frame 10 to adversely affect external electrical or mechanical devices, animals, etc. Also, electromagnetic noise is prohibited from entering the frame 10. Otherwise, operation of the above data storage devices 101, the electrical components 102, and other parts may be interfered undesirably. In brief, the frame 10 is adapted to prevent EMI (electromagnetic interference) from occurring.
Moreover, the frame 10 is constructed to prevent foreign objects (e.g., dust, insects, or the like) from entering to stay attached to the internal parts. As a result, interior of the frame 10 can be maintained clean. In addition, short-circuit is prevented from occurring in the printed circuit board 103 since humid foreign objects are prohibited from entering the frame 10.
Additionally, heat will be generated by the data storage devices 101 and electrical components 102 when they are operating. Internal temperature of the frame 10 will increase quickly due to heat accumulation therein. For decreasing temperature, a plurality of fans (two are shown) 12 are provided in the space 11. The fans 12 are adapted to operate after power has been fed from a power supply (not shown) in the frame 10. As stated above, the fans 12 are adapted to set up a current of air for either driving out hot air, caused by the accumulated heat, from the data storage devices 101 and the electrical components 102. As a result, internal temperature of the frame 10 can be decreased quickly to a value below the predetermined operating temperature.
Referring to FIG. 1 again, there is provided a rectangular mounting plate 13 in the frame 10. Two ends of the mounting plate 13 are coupled to opposite sides of the space 11. As a result, the mounting plate 13 is fastened in the frame 10. Four threaded holes 131 arranged in the form of rectangle are provided in the mounting plate 13 proximate the electrical components 102. Four apertures 121 are provided in four corners of the fan 12 in which each aperture 121 corresponds to the threaded hole 131. A plurality of (e.g., four) screws 122 are adapted to drive through the apertures 121 into the threaded holes 131 for securing the fan 12 to the mounting plate 13. In operation, each of the activated fans 12 is adapted to set up a current of air toward the data storage devices 101 or the electrical components 102. As a result, heat generated by the data storage devices 101 or the electrical components 102 can be quickly driven out.
However, the prior art suffered from several disadvantages. For example, in the installation four screws 122 are driven through the apertures 121 into the threaded holes 131 for securing the fan 12 to the mounting plate 13. Also, the mounting plate 13 is then secured to the space 11. Such installation may require an excessive number of screws 122, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost. Further, the provision of the mounting plate 13 can complicate the assembly and thus contradicts the trend of easy assembly/disassembly, cost effective, and easy and quick replacement of malfunctioned components of information products. Thus, it is desirable to provide a computer or server case having an improved receiving slot frame structure for mounting a fan thereon.